The Perfect Pattern for a 1st Jacket

A review of Helen's Closet Pona Jacket

Reviewed by Geri In Stitches on 31st October, 2020

I’ve never made a jacket before. This is my first, and I am so so glad that I chose the Pona as a way to get my feet wet. The pattern makes it easy for any beginner to sew up a jacket. The original pattern comes with large facings so that there wouldn’t be a need for a lining. However, if you wanted to add a lining, it is now possible as Helen has written a blog with a lining hack!

There are some design details that make this a good fit for beginners. First there are no closures, and second, the sleeves are sewn in flat. So you don’t have to set in the sleeves. But the easier sewing techniques doesn’t mean that there is a compromise in style. In fact, this is a very handsome jacket with a boxy cut and large flowing lapels. There are two views to choose from: short or long version. I sewed up  the short version in a size 4 with zero modifications.

I also got a little crazy and covered the entire jacket in sashiko stitches. Please go to my blog, Geri In Stitches if you want to see more pictures and read about how I did it.